‘They are doing severe damage!’ Farmer blasts Starmer for ‘hiding from the problem’
A Warwickshire-based farmer, Charles Goadby has hit out at the Labour Party claiming that they are “doing severe damage” to rural communities.
The criticism comes as farmers face restrictions on a planned November 19 demonstration in Westminster against new Budget measures affecting agricultural inheritance tax.
The National Farmers Union (NFU) has been forced to cap attendance at 1,800 people for the planned Westminster rally, despite initial expectations of 10,000 protesters.
Speaking to GB News he said: “From what I have seen, the official line from the police is saying that they are not banning any protests whatsoever.
“They are happy for any organised protest to happen. I think that’s the key here is the word organised.
“Nobody has, in my opinion, officially organised a protest in London. I’ve heard some people say that can take up to three months to put in place. So I think we’ve just got to be careful, that they’re hiding behind recent legislation and anti-terrorism laws.
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“I think generally that they’re hiding full stop because the government know they’re in the wrong game unless they’ve realised and made an almighty cock up of everything.”
He added: “It’s his Government that is doing severe damage to farmers. They’re doing severe damage to the rural economy.
“They’re doing severe damage to our food security and sustainability, and they’re just hiding.
“I’m sure they’re now starting to realise they can’t keep hiding and denying the facts, that the honest facts are being presented to them.
“They must realise by now, but they’re just yeah, they’re cowardly.”
The NFU has told its 55,000 members that those who haven’t registered should stay away from the capital.
“There are legal issues which mean we can’t simply turn up in numbers in Westminster on the streets or the open spaces,” the union explained in a message to members.
A separate protest has since been organised for the same day by The Farming Forum founder Clive Bailye.
Former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson, who owns Diddly Squat Farm in Oxfordshire, has questioned the different treatment of various protest groups.
“Perhaps, if I had draped my tractor in a Palestinian flag it would be different,” Clarkson told The Sun.
“It seems that if you are from Just Stop Oil or protesting about Gaza, you can do what you want.
“But farmers are treated differently by a government that is waging an all-out war on the countryside.”